Mechanical foam indicating and control apparatus



April 1936? o. w. CA'RRICK ET AL 2,038,414

MECHANICAL FOAM INDICATING AND CONTROL APPARATUS Filed June 5, 33

I mi 5755 (Hand Z0: Carrie/6 Patented Apr. 21,1936

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE MECHANICAL FOAM INDICATING AND CONTROL APPARATUS Application June 5, 1933, Serial No. 674,314

15 Claims This invention relates to apparatus for and a method of indicating the interior condition of a. steam boiler and particularly to an apparatus for indicating the moisture, and/or foam content of the steam in the boiler.

In operation, when the sludge and other impurities in the water in the boiler increases beyond a certain concentration, foam or froth forms on top of the water in the boiler. This foaming of the boiler water increases the moisture content of the steam and also carries with it a certain amount of entrained sludge. If the foam is permitted to fill the steam space, it will carry over into the steam pipes causing damage 7 to the superheater units, cylinders and valves due to the moisture and sludge content of the foam.

The formation of boiler foam is gradual. By carefully noting the formation of this foam, the boiler operator may be warned in time to take the necessary steps to prevent the foam passing through-the steam throttle or outlet valve.

Foaming of the boiler is now p reventedby the wasteful and erratic practice of the operators guessing when to use manually operated valves or blow off cocks. However, we have found it better to have an apparatus whereby the operator is apprised of the foam content of the steam at all times. Such apparatus, as well as apparatus for automatically conditioning the boiler water which can be used in combination therewith, is the subject matter of the present invention.

Itis an object of this invention to provide apparatus for indicating the foam or excess moisture in the steam space at all times while the boiler is in operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide apparatus'for automatically reducing the foaming tendency of the water in the boiler.

Itis a further object of this invention to provide a method of conducting a portion of the steam of a boiler through an indicator and to apparatus for improving the boiler water.

This invention (in preferred form) is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and here inafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a locomotive boiler showing our invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic View of the indicating and operating apparatus shown in Figure 1, and V Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a throttling plate forming part of our invention.

As shown on the drawing: 7

The invention is shown as applied to a 1000- motive boiler,but this is by way of illustration only and it will be understood that the invention may be applied, as well, to other types of boilers. The boiler l0 shown in Figure 1 com prises the usual boiler shell I I and the firebox I 2 defined by the sheet I 3. The usual boiler tubes M, in communication with the firebox l2, extend forwardly from the sheet l3.

Under usual operating conditions, water [5 surrounds the tubes I4 and box l2 and extends upwardly to the normal Water line It a slight distance above the crown sheet ll of the firebox. The numeral l9 indicates the steam space in the boiler. A pipe 20 is located in the steam space IQ of the boiler and slants downwardly and extends through the sheet or boiler into the cab 2| of the locomotive. The upper half of the end portion of the pipe is cut away to form the extending lip 22 for the accumulation of any excess moisture or foam present in the steam. A manually-operated valve 23 is provided at the cab end of the pipe 20 and a nipple 24 extends downwardly from the valve and leads to indicator glass 25. The connection 26 between the nipple and indicator glass is provided with a nozzle 21 for directing the contents of the pipe 24 into the indicator glass 25.

The indicator glass 25 is connected to a drain line 26 by suitable piping 21 and a T-fitting 28. The drain line Zli extends from a water collecting chamber 29 andis provided with a throttling plate 39, having an orifice 353 located below the lead 21 from the, indicator 25.

The chamber 29 is provided with a float 3| which is pivoted to the wall of the chamber as shown at 32. The float operates a rod 33 which extends downwardly and out of the chamber through a suitable opening guarded by a packing gland 34 and is connected to a lever 35 for operating a cock 36 in the air line 31. The air line 31 leads from a suitable source of compressed air (not shown) to an operating mechanism 38 for controlling a valve 39 located in a blowoff line 40 leading from the lower portion of the water space of the boiler adjacent to the firebox [2.

The operating mechanism 38 and valve 39, as well as the cock 36 and orifice 3! have been illustrated diagrammatically as these parts are of standard construction and their details are not a part of the present invention. When the boiler is in operation, steam passes through the pipe and is directed downwardly through the indicator glass in to the drain line 26 from the chamber 29. So long as the water in the boiler is relatively free of foam and moisture, the steam passes directly through the indicator 25 and orifice 3e and is discharged by the drain line 23 The glass will be relatively clear while the steam is passing therethrough. When the boiler becomes relatively dirty, foaming commences and the moisture contained in the foam films is collected by the lip 22 and passes through the pipe line 21!. As this passes through the sight glass, the operator is made aware of the condition of the boiler by the foggy appearance of the glass and is in a position to take the necessary steps to prevent any damaging and harmful results accruing from this condition; also, the opening 3i! in the plate 3!] is made of such size that, when more than a predetermined amount of moisture is passing through the pipe line, it will build upinto the chamber 29 to raise the float 3!. The rising of the float 31 opens the air line 31 to operate the Valve 39 to blow off the concentrated water and sludge from the boiler through the line 40. When enough of the foam producing ingredients have been removed, the foam will fall below the pipe 22 and the water in chamber 29 will pass thru the opening 3% and into the drain. Then the float 3| in chamber 29 will lower to close air valve 35 which in turn will cause blow off valve 48 to close to prevent unnecessary waste of boiler water.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the parts can be so proportioned that some of the bad water in the boiler will be blown out when any predetermined condition has been reached. The plate 39 may be variable so as to be adjusted for certain operating conditions.

Steam may be used instead of compressed air for operating the drain valve 39. Other forms of collectors may be used in place of the pipe 20. In particular, a number of pipes may be connected to a single indicator glass, or individually to two or more indicating glasses.

We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide'range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. Apparatus for indicating the condition of steam in a boiler, comprising a pipe extending substantially horizontally through the steam space of a boiler, said pipe having a substantial portion of its top half removed to collect moisture in the steam and a sight glass connected to said pipe in such a manner that the moisture collected by the pipe passes through the sight glass.

2. Apparatus for indicating the condition of steam in a boiler, comprising a pipe in the steam space of the boiler and extending downwardly and through the boiler shell, said pipe having a substantially horizontal lip at its inner end for collecting any moisture in the steam, a sight glass connected at the opposite end of the pipe through which the accumulations in the pipe pass and drain means for the sight glass.

3. Apparatus for removing concentrated water and sludge from a boiler, comprising a means located in the steam space of a boiler adapted to collect excess moisture in the steam, a pipe in communication with said means and leadin therefrom, a float chamber connected to said pipe, means in said pipe for discharging the steam and collecting the moisture in the chamber, and means operated by the float in said chamber for blowing the boiler.

1. Apparatus for removing concentrated water and sludge from a boiler, comprising a pipe extending in the steam space of a boiler and having a lip at its inner end for collecting moisture in the steam, a float chamber connected to said pipe, a drain from said pipe between said lip and'said float chamber, an orifice in said drain allowin the passage of a predetermined amount of flow of steam and moisture therethrough from said pipe line and causing excess moisture to collect in said chamber, and means operated by the float in said chamber for blowing the boiler.

5. Apparatus for removing concentrated water and sludge from a boiler, comprising a pipeextending in the steam space of a boiler and having a lip at its inner end for collecting water in the steam, a float chamber connected to said pipe, a drain for said pipe located between said lip and said chamber, an orifice in said drain which allows the steam to pass and causes the excess water to enter the chamber to operate the float, said float being so operatively connected to a boiler blow on? valve as to open said valve when the float rises above a predetermined level to remove the concentrated boiler water and sludge from the boiler.

6. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a pipe extending in the steam space of a boiler and having a lip at its inner end for collecting water or foam in the steam, a float chamber, a pipe line connecting said pipe to the float chamber; a sight glass located in said pipe line and in view of the operator, a drain for said float chamber to which said pipe line is conneoted, means in said drain line below the junction point of said pipe line and drain for passing a predetermined amount of steam and water and causing any greater amount of water to back up in said chamber to thereby operate the float therein, and a drain line for the boiler having a valve therein operatively connected to the float in said chamber and being actuated when the water in the chamber reaches a predetermined point.

'7. Apparatus of the class described, comprising indicating means in communication with the steam space of a boiler at .a point separate from the steam discharge outlet and adapted to receive steam and moisture therethrough, a drain line for said indicating means, and means in said drain line responsive to the moisture passing therethrough for controlling the amount of moisture in the steam being generated in the boiler. V

8. Apparatus for indicating and controlling the condition of steam in a boiler comprising a sight glass in communication with the steam space of a boiler adapted to receive steam and moisture therethrough, a drain line for said sight glass, an orifice in said drain line permitting the passage of a predetermined amount of flow of moisture therethrough, a chamber for receiving the excess moisture, and means in said chamber responsive to the amount of moisture therein for reducing the moisture content of the steam being generated in the boiler.

9. Apparatus for controlling the condition of steam generated in the boiler which comprises means in communication with the steam space of the boiler adapted to collect moisture in the steam therein, a discharge orifice in said means for passing a predetermined amount of steam and water, a chamber for receiving any excess amount of water, and means in said chamber actuated by the water level therein for reducing the moisture content of the steam being generated in the boiler.

10. Apparatus for indicating the condition of steam in a boiler comprising foam and moisture collecting means in the boiler separate from the steam discharge outlet of the boiler and located in spaced relation between the normal water level in the boiler and the top of the steam space in the boiler, a pipe line connected with said collecting means to transmit collected moisture or foam to the outside of the boiler, a sight glass in said pipe line and a regulated discharge outlet for the moisture and foam in the pipe line.

11., Apparatus for indicating the condition of steam in a boiler comprising foam and moisture collecting means separate from the steam discharge outlet of the boiler and located in the steam space of a boiler at a level equidistant between the top of the boiler steam space and the normal water level maintained in the boiler, a drain pipe connected with said collecting means to transmit collected foam and moisture therethrough to the outside of the boiler, a sight glass in said drain pipe and a regulated discharge outlet for said drain pipe 12 Apparatus for indicating and controlling the condition of steam in a boiler which comprises, a moisture and foam collecting pipe in the steam space of a boiler in spaced relation below the steam discharge orifice and separate from said orifice but above the normal level of water in the boiler, indicating means adapted to receive the collected moisture from said collecting pipe, a drain pipe for said indicating means and means in said drain pipe responsive to the moisture passing therethrough for controlling and regulating the amount of moisture in the steam being generated in the boiler before said steam is delivered from the boiler 13. Apparatus for indicating the condition of steam in a boiler comprising a moisture collecting and sampling tube extending into the steam space of a boiler and sloping slightly from a horizontal plane above the normal water level in the boiler but below the top of the steam space of the boiler and separate from the boiler steam discharge outlet, a drain line for said collecting and sampling tube and. an indicating means communicating with said drain line for showing the condition of the steam passing therethrough.

14. Apparatus for indicating and controlling the condition of steam in a boiler, comprising foam and moisture collecting means in the boiler separate from the steam discharge outlet of the boiler and located in spaced relation between the normal water level in the boiler and the top of the steam space in the boiler, a pipe connected with said collecting means to transmit collected moisture or foam to the outside of the boiler, moisture indicating means in said pipe, and means associated with said indicating means and responsive to moisture passing therethrough for use in controlling the amount of moisture in the steam being generated in the boiler before said steam reaches said steam discharge outlet.

15. Apparatus for controlling the condition of steam in a boiler, which comprises a moisture and foam collecting pipe in the steam space of a boiler with its open end located in spaced relation below and separate from the steam discharge outlet but above the normal level of the water in the boiler for transmitting collected steam, moisture or foam to the outside of the boiler,,and means associated with said pipe for use in controlling the amount of moisture in the steam being generated in the boiler in accordance with the amount of moisture or foam collected by said pipe.

OLAND W. CARRICK. RUSSELL W. SENIFF. 

